Null Surface Quantization and Quantum Field Theory in Asymptotically Flat Space-Time

A quantum theory of the free scalar, electromagnetic and gravitational fields in a curved asymptotically flat space-time is developed. It is shown that the Penrose conformal technique makes it possible to reformulate the null infinity quantization as a problem of the quantization on the proper null surface in the corresponding Penrose space. The Schwinger dynamical principle is exploited to derive the corresponding null surface commutation relations. The general covariant and gauge-independent form of the commutation relations is also given. The existence of the asymptotic symmetry (BMS) group in the asymptotically flat space-time is used to define uniquely the “in” and “out” vacuum states. The explicit expressions for the S-matrix operator and for the S-matrix elements in the asymptotically simple space-time are given. The functional integration method is used to find the expression for the density matrix describing the observations at ∮+ in the weakly asymptotically simple space-time when the information loss due to the event horizons or the existence of bare singularities is possible. The application of the developed approach to the problem of quantum evaporation of black holes (Hawking effect) is briefly discussed.     

String theory and cosmological singularities

In general relativity space-like or null singularities are common: they imply that ‘time’ can have a beginning or end. Well-known examples are singularities inside black holes and initial or final singularities in expanding or contracting universes. In recent times, string theory is providing new perspectives of such singularities which may lead to an understanding of these in the standard framework of time evolution in quantum mechanics. In this article, we describe some of these approaches.      

Quantum spinors and the singularity theorems of general relativity

I suggest that space-time singularities may be removed through the quantum effects of fermionic spinor matter. I support this viewpoint on the basis of an effective negative contribution, coming from spinor fields with anticommutative (“quantum”) nature, to the energy condition of the singularity theorems of general relativity.     

Mathematical Structures of Space-Time

At first we introduce the space-time manifold and we compare some aspects of Riemannian and Lorentzian geometry such as the distance function and the relations between topology and curvature. We then define spinor structures in general relativity, and the conditions for their existence are discussed. The causality conditions are studied through an analysis of strong causality, stable causality and global hyperbolicity. In looking at the asymptotic structure of space-time, we focus on the asymptotic symmetry group of Bondi, Metzner and Sachs, and the b-boundary construction of Schmidt. The Hamiltonian structure of space-time is also analyzed, with emphasis on Ashtekar's spinorial variables. Finally, the question of a rigorous theory of singularities in space-times with torsion is addressed, describing in detail recent work by the author. We define geodesics as curves whose tangent vector moves by parallel transport. This is different from what other authors do, because their definition of geodesics only involves the Christofel symbols, though studying theories with torsion. We then prove how to extend Hawking's singularity theorem without causality assumptions to the space-time of the ECSK theory. This is achieved studying the generalized Raychauduri equation in the ECSK theory, the conditions for the existence of conjugate points and properties of maximal timelike geodesics. Our result can also be interpreted as a no-singularity theorem if the torsion tensor does not obey some additional conditions. Namely, it seems that the occurrence of singularities in closed cosmological models based on the ECSK theory is less generic than in general relativity. Our work is to be compared with important previous papers. There are some relevant differences, because we rely on a different definition of geodesics, we keep the field equations of the ECSK theory in their original form rather than casting them in a form similar to general relativity with a modified energy-momentum tensor, and we emphasize the role played by the full extrinsic curvature tensor and by the variation formulae.     

Censorship,strong curvature,and asymptotic causal pathology

Necessary and sufficient conditions are established for a weakly asymptotically simple and empty, null convergent, generic space-time to be future asymptotically predictable. These conditions require that the causal structure of the space-time is well behaved near spatial infinity and future null infinity, and that there are no singularities of less than a certain finite strength in the future asymptotic limit.     

Null Surfaces and Their Singularities in Three-Dimensional Minkowski Space-Time

In this work we integrate the null geodesic equations in three-dimensional Minkowski space-time in order to obtain the light-cone cut function; that is, the function that describes the intersection, C_x ^a, of the light cone from each space-time point, _x ^a, with future null infinity I ⁺. Furthermore, using this result, we locate the singularities of the null surface obtained as the envelope of the past light cones from points on a deformed light-cone cut of I ⁺.     

Space-time singularities

A set of conditions for the reasonableness of space-time is proposed and investigated. Using these, together with strong causality and an assumption of genericness, it is shown that future timelike or null geodesically incomplete space-times contain either curvature or intermediate singularities, or primordial singularities.     

Gravitational waves and the breaking of parallelograms in space-time

We show that plane-fronted gravitational waves induce the breaking of parallelograms in space-time, in the context of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. The breaking of parallelograms can be shown by considering a thought experiment that consists of a simple physical configuration, similar to the experimental setup that is expected to lead to the measurement of gravitational waves with the use of laser interferometers. An incident beam of light splits into two beams running along perpendicular arms, endowed with fixed mirrors at the extremes. The reflected light beams are detected at the same point of the splitting. Along each arm, the two light beams define two null vectors: the forward vector and the reflected vector. We show that the sum of these four vectors, the forward and reflected null vectors along the two arms, do form a parallelogram in flat space-time, but not in the presence of plane-fronted gravitational waves. The non-closure of the parallelogram is a manifestation of the torsion of the space-time, and in this context indicates the existence of gravitational waves.     

Møller Energy-Momentum Distribution of Higher Dimensional Vaidya Space-Time

In this paper, we intend to clarify the energy-momentum problem of higher dimensional Vaidya space-time in the general theory of relativity. In this connection, Møller energy and momentum for the higher dimensional Vaidya space-time are evaluated in the frame of general relativity. We have obtained that the Møller energy distribution of higher dimensional Vaidya space-time is equal to zero, while the Møller momentum distribution of higher dimensional Vaidya space-time is not equal to zero.     

T4 gauge theory of gravity and new general relativity

We formulate a space-time translationT ₄ gauge theory of gravity on the Minkowski space-time with appropriate choice of the Lagrangian. By comparing the energy-momentum law of this theory with that of new general relativity constructed on the Weitzenböck space-time we find that in the classical limit the gauge potentials correspond to the parallel vector fields in the Weitzenböck space-time and the gauge field equation coincides with the field equation of gravity in new general relativity in the linearized version. Thus we conclude that in the classical limit theT ₄ gauge theory of gravity leads to the new general relativity.     

Cosmic censorship and conformai transformations

A new definition of a nakedly singular space-time is proposed. Conformai transformations of general, vacuum space-times are considered for conformai factors which are proper mappings into (0, ). A space-time generated in this manner which is null convergent on the future Cauchy development of a partial Cauchy surface is shown to be not nakedly singular relative to that surface in the sense of the chosen definition. If the conformal factor is bounded from above then the untransformed, vacuum space-time is similarly not nakedly singular. A censorship theorem for null convergent, conformally flat space-times is obtained as a corollary to the principal result.     

爱因斯坦与广义相对论

文章介绍了爱因斯坦建立相对论,特别是广义相对论的伟大贡献。爱因斯坦提出了光速不变原理、广义相对性原理、马赫原理和等效原理。他不仅首先指出万有引力本质上是时空弯曲的几何效应,而且首先给出了广义相对论的基本方程。文章还讨论了为什么爱因斯坦是狭义相对论和广义相对论的唯一创建者。     

Relativistic chaos is coordinate invariant

The noninvariance of Lyapunov exponents in general relativity has led to the conclusion that chaos depends on the choice of the space-time coordinates. Strikingly, we uncover the transformation laws of Lyapunov exponents under general space-time transformations and we find that chaos, as characterized by positive Lyapunov exponents, is coordinate invariant. As a result, the previous conclusion regarding the noninvariance of chaos in cosmology, a major claim about chaos in general relativity, necessarily involves the violation of hypotheses required for a proper definition of the Lyapunov exponents.     

Isometric Embeddings into the Minkowski Space and New Quasi-Local Mass

The definition of quasi-local mass for a bounded space-like region Ω in space-time is essential in several major unsettled problems in general relativity. The quasi-local mass is expected to be a type of flux integral on the boundary two-surface \({\Sigma=\partial \Omega}\) and should be independent of whichever space-like region \({\Sigma}\) bounds. An important idea which is related to the Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity is to consider a reference surface in a flat ambient space with the same first fundamental form and derive the quasi-local mass from the difference of the extrinsic geometries. This approach has been taken by Brown-York [4,5] and Liu-Yau [16,17] (see also related works [3,6,9,12,14,15,28,32]) to define such notions using the isometric embedding theorem into the Euclidean three space. However, there exist surfaces in the Minkowski space whose quasilocal mass is strictly positive [19]. It appears that the momentum information needs to be accounted for to reconcile the difference. In order to fully capture this information, we use isometric embeddings into the Minkowski space as references. In this article, we first prove an existence and uniqueness theorem for such isometric embeddings. We then solve the boundary value problem for Jang’s [13] equation as a procedure to recognize such a surface in the Minkowski space. In doing so, we discover a new expression of quasi-local mass for a large class of “admissible” surfaces (see Theorem A and Remark 1.1). The new mass is positive when the ambient space-time satisfies the dominant energy condition and vanishes on surfaces in the Minkowski space. It also has the nice asymptotic behavior at spatial infinity and null infinity. Some of these results were announced in [29].     

Scalar torsion and a new symmetry of general relativity

We reformulate the general theory of relativity in the language of Riemann–Cartan geometry. We start from the assumption that the space-time can be described as a non-Riemannian manifold, which, in addition to the metric field, is endowed with torsion. In this new framework, the gravitational field is represented not only by the metric, but also by the torsion, which is completely determined by a geometric scalar field. We show that in this formulation general relativity has a new kind of invariance, whose invariance group consists of a set of conformal and gauge transformations, called Cartan transformations. These involve both the metric tensor and the torsion vector field, and are similar to the well known Weyl gauge transformations. By making use of the concept of Cartan gauges, we show that, under Cartan transformations, the new formalism leads to different pictures of the same gravitational phenomena. We illustrate this fact by looking at the one of the classical tests of general relativity theory, namely the gravitational spectral shift. Finally, we extend the concept of space-time symmetry to Riemann–Cartan space-times with scalar torsion and obtain the conservation laws for auto-parallel motions in a static spherically symmetric vacuum space-time in a Cartan gauge, whose orbits are identical to Schwarzschild orbits in general relativity.     

Charged axially symmetric solution and energy in teleparallel theory equivalent to general relativity

An exact charged solution with axial symmetry is obtained in the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. The associated metric has the structure function G(ξ)=1-ξ²-2mAξ³-q²A²ξ⁴. The fourth order nature of the structure function can make calculations cumbersome. Using a coordinate transformation we get a tetrad whose metric has the structure function in a factorizable form (1-ξ²)(1+r₊Aξ)(1+r_-Aξ) with r_± as the horizons of Reissner–Nordström space-time. This new form has the advantage that its roots are now trivial to write down. Then, we study the singularities of this space-time. Using another coordinate transformation, we obtain a tetrad field. Its associated metric yields the Reissner–Nordström black hole. In calculating the energy content of this tetrad field using the gravitational energy-momentum, we find that the resulting form depends on the radial coordinate! Using the regularized expression of the gravitational energy-momentum in the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity we get a consistent value for the energy.     

Classical and quantum models of strong cosmic censorship

The cosmic censorship conjecture states that naked singularities should not evolve from regular initial conditions in general relativity. In its strong form the conjecture asserts that space-times with Cauchy horizons must always be unstable and thus that thegeneric solution of Einstein's equations must be inextendible beyond its maximal Cauchy development. In this paper we shall show that one can construct an infinite-dimensional family ofextendible cosmological solutions similar to Taub-NUT space-time. However, we shall also show that each of these solutions is unstable in precisely the way demanded by strong cosmic censorship. Finally we show that quantum fluctuations in the metric always provide (though in an unexpectedly subtle way) the “generic perturbations” which destroy the Cauchy horizons in these models.     

On the space-time curvature experienced by quasiparticle excitations in the Painlevé-Gullstrand effective geometry

We consider quasiparticle propagation in constant-speed-of-sound (iso-tachic) and almost incompressible (iso-pycnal) hydrodynamic flows, using the technical machinery of general relativity to investigate the “effective space-time geometry” that is probed by the quasiparticles. This effective geometry, described for the quasiparticles of condensed matter systems by the Painlevé-Gullstrand metric, generally exhibits curvature (in the sense of Riemann) and many features of quasiparticle propagation can be re-phrased in terms of null geodesics, Killing vectors, and Jacobi fields. As particular examples of hydrodynamic flow we consider shear flow, a constant-circulation vortex, flow past an impenetrable cylinder, and rigid rotation.